A C Milan plan 20m pounds swoop for Mario Balotelli

London, Dec. 23 (ANI): Italian giants A C Milan are reportedly planning to make a 20-million-pound bid for Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli in next month's transfer window.

This is reportedly against the wishes of Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini.

Interim president Adriano Galliani has been ordered by Milan owner and Balotelli fan, Silvio Berlusconi, to take the former Inter Milan star back to San Siro and he plans to negotiate directly with City's Abu Dhabi owners and the player's agent, Mino Raiola.

The final decision on Balotelli's future could prove crucial to the long-term relationship between Mancini and his bosses, City owner Sheik Mansour and chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak.

The Italian manager wants to give Balotelli another chance to succeed at City after the player accepted a two-week fine worth 330,000 pounds for his poor disciplinary record on the pitch last season.

But City's hierarchy feel the wayward 22-year-old is more trouble than he is worth following a series of indiscretions and are happy to encourage Milan's interest.

For their part, according to the Daily Mail, the Italian club - who face Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League - are close to offloading Brazil strikers Robinho and Alexandre Pato in January to finance the bid for Balotelli.

Robinho is wanted by former club Santos and Pato by world champion club side Corinthians.

Milan are convinced they will land Balotelli, who is a national hero in Italy after top-scoring at Euro 2012 when his country unexpectedly reached the final. (ANI)

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